Moon
by Sylvera
Summary: #11 in my 100 Themes one-shot challenge. Moegi is homesick, and Enrique notices. Is there anything he can do to help?


I didn't quite plan for this to be the fluff-fest it is, but I'm still happy with the way it turned out. Hope you enjoy it, too.

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><p>Valua and Yafutoma couldn't be more different. Yafutoma was full of water, and the air was clean and fresh. The streets were decorated, and the buildings were just as much for beauty as they were to be used. The blue moon's light shone on the isolated world, and it was visible no matter where you were.<p>

Valua was the complete opposite. The yellow moon's power kept the sky dark almost all the time. The cities were full of plain buildings that mostly looked the same. There were no plants or flowers, save for the occasional flowerpot, and some days the air was stale and stagnant. Even the moon that kept the land dark was not always visible.

When Moegi had first arrived here, she'd quickly become homesick. She couldn't understand how it was possible to live somewhere this gloomy. Enrique had noticed fairly quickly. He had approached her after a few days, asking if there was anything he could do. After all, he wanted his Empress to be happy. And she'd told him. As kind as he'd been, and as warm a welcome as she'd been given, she still missed her home.

Enrique told her that there was still a lot to do, and that he would need her support. But he promised that once things were more stable, she could leave Yafutoma for a while. She agreed to this, understanding that things weren't easy for him either.

The next month or so was a busy one. The nation had been devastated by the Rains of Destruction, and there was still much to be done. One of the firs things that Enrique had done upon his return was to dig out his mother's body from the rubble, and give her a proper burial. "She may have done horrible things," he told Moegi, "but she was still my mother."

He'd arranged for everyone to contribute to rebuilding. Not just the soldiers, but the people as well – rich and poor. Most of the Upper City was less than thrilled, but he'd made it clear that this was their city as well. He needed everyone's help to rebuild Valua.

Time went by, and the rebuilding progressed steadily. Most of the people stuck to working on their part of town, but every now and then someone would venture to an unknown neighborhood and help out a stranger. And while many of the Upper City folk were motivated primarily by a desire to return to their luxurious lives, they still did what they could. As for the Lower City, Enrique made sure that they were well-compensated for their efforts.

Moegi did what she could, often accompanying Enrique when he went to check the progress of the rebuilding. But she still couldn't help missing her home.

Finally, when things were stable enough, Moegi was finally able to visit Yafutoma. She was flown there on one of the best ships available, and was told that she would be picked up again in about two weeks.

Returning to Yafutoma was a breath of fresh air for her. She was able to see her family again. Her father was still well, despite his age. Not much had changed in this peaceful place since she left. She told stories to her people about what she had seen. Everyone wanted to know about the strange place called Valua. And for those two weeks, Moegi was happy.

When the time came for her to return, she boarded the ship and kept her eyes on the blue moon until it was no longer visible.

Enrique was glad to see her again. She wanted to know what had happened in her absence, but Enrique told her that there was something she needed to see. So she followed him through the palace, unsure of what to expect. Finally, they stopped in front of a door. Smiling, Enrique opened it, revealing the inside.

Whatever the room had been before, it was completely different now. The walls were painted the color of the sky, complete with wispy clouds on the ceiling. In one corner was a small waterfall that flowed over rocks into a miniature pond. Potted plants were placed around the room, and the floor was the same sort of wood that was common in the houses of Yafutoma. A large rug was placed in the center of the floor. The sparsely placed furniture was styled like the buildings in the town she'd grown up around. And on one wall, there was a painting of the blue moon.

Moegi looked around the room in disbelief. "I had it made for you while you were gone," said Enrique. "I know it won't compare to home, but I see that you appreciate it anyway.

He looked her in the eye. "If you start to become homesick again, I want you to come to this room and stay for a while. I did my best to make it as special and true to its inspiration as possible. Please, use it whenever you'd like."

A warm smile appeared on Moegi's face. "This is beautiful," she said. "I…I'm very grateful. Would it be alright if I stayed here for a moment?"

"Of course. But don't wait too long. There's still a lot to do."

He gave her a quick kiss, and left.

Moegi closed the door, and sat in the center of the room. It wasn't the same as being home, but that didn't matter. The care that had been given to its creation was obvious. And in that moment, she realized that living under one moon didn't mean surrendering the other. And once again, she was happy.


End file.
